Israeli hostages waved white flags after being mistakenly shot at.

Preliminary investigations by the Israeli military indicate that the hostage mistakenly shot in the Gaza Strip waved a white flag and called for help in Hebrew.

Israeli Southern Command officials said on December 16 that the accidental shooting that killed three hostages occurred in the Shejaiya district of Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip. This is an area where Hamas militants remain active, often disguising themselves as civilians and employing diversionary tactics.

An Israeli soldier spotted a group of three people emerging from a building about 10 meters from the guard post. The soldier suspected that the three strangers were actually bait to lure the Israeli soldiers into an ambush.

"All the hostages were shirtless. They were waving a stick with a white cloth attached. The soldier felt threatened and opened fire," an Israeli military official said.

Israeli soldiers engage in combat in the Gaza Strip on November 22. Photo: Reuters

According to initial reports, the soldier shouted that the hostages were terrorists, prompting his unit to open fire, killing two people on the spot. The remaining hostage was wounded but managed to escape into a nearby building. He then called for help in Hebrew.

Israeli military officials said the battalion commander immediately ordered a ceasefire. However, when a third hostage reappeared, another soldier opened fire, killing the hostage.

The Israeli military assessed that both actions—firing at the group of three before identifying the target and shooting at the injured hostage who had called for help—violated operational rules.

The three victims of the friendly fire on December 15 have been identified as Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz, and Samer Talalka, who were abducted from the villages of Kfar Aza and Nir Am on October 7.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it an "unbearable tragedy." The White House also described the incident as a "tragic mistake." Hundreds of people protested in Tel Aviv, urging the government to prioritize the rescue of the hostages.

Location of Gaza City and other municipalities in the Gaza Strip. Graphic: BBC

Thanh Danh (According to Reuters, Times of Israel )

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